The present invention relates to an information processing apparatus that is driven by a rechargeable battery, a control method, and a computer program product. More particularly, the invention relates to an information processing apparatus for controlling the charge and discharge of a battery, a control method, and a computer program product.
In recent years, information terminals of small size and light weight have been widely employed. Each information terminal is mostly provided with a repeatedly chargeable battery to be usable by carrying at a place of destination or out in the fields. Such a battery is charged by an AC power source, when the information terminal is connected to the AC power source, and if the information terminal is disconnected from the AC power source, the battery can drive the information terminal.
Various kinds of batteries may be employed, including a nickel cadmium battery, a nickel hydrogen battery and a lithium ion battery. Generally, the battery is deteriorated if the charge and discharge are repeated. For example, in the nickel cadmium battery, a memory effect due to extension charge has a problem. Also, there is another problem in which a control circuit contained in the battery does not appropriately manage the full charge capacity that is changed when the charge and discharge are repeated.
Various techniques have been proposed to solve these problems (refer to Patent Documents 1 to 6).
[Patent Document 1]
    Published Unexamined Patent Application No. 9-233722[Patent Document 2]    Published Unexamined Patent Application No. 9-205736[Patent Document 3]    Published Unexamined Patent Application No. 2001-136673[Patent Document 4]    Published Unexamined Patent Application No. 2002-315198[Patent Document 5]    Published Unexamined Patent Application No. 2002-223529[Patent Document 6]    Published Unexamined Patent Application No. 2002-238177